Over 3,000 PoP Ganesha idols seized, but pollution control board unsure of what to do with them
The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has seized over 3,000 Plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesha idols but faces uncertainty regarding their disposal. Experts suggest recycling the materials, though the toxic paints used on the idols present a significant environmental challenge.
Why it matters
This highlights the tension between traditional religious practices and environmental regulations, as well as the logistical difficulties of enforcing waste management policies.
While the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), in coordination with municipality officials and the police, has seized over 3,000 Ganesha idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP), they are clueless as to what to do with them.
It is for the first time that the department has seized so many idols before they reach the sellers, while the focus in the previous years was largely on creating awareness among people not to purchase PoP idols to avoid pollution of waterbodies.
However, the drive has created the problem of disposal.
R. Gokul, member-secretary, KSPCB, said, admitted that they were yet to plan how to dispose of these idols. “In places or godowns where there are large number of idols, we have sealed them completely. But we are yet to take a call on what to do with them. We will make sure they don’t reach the sellers,” he explained.
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